The 91st Session of the Human Rights Committee, held in Geneva from October 15th to November 2nd of 2007, adopted the following concluding observation, under the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, on the Nation-State of Georgia’s law on domestic violence: “8. While acknowledging the Law on Combating Domestic Violence, Prevention of and Support to its Victims, adopted in May 2006, the Committee remains concerned by the still substantial number of women in Georgia who are subject to violence, in particular to domestic violence, as well as at the insufficient measures and services to protect victims. The Committee notes with regret that the State Party considers that Nongovernmental organizations are mainly responsible for setting out and managing shelters for victims of domestic violence, without assuring to them appropriate financing. (Articles 3, 23 and 26)
The State Party should take prompt measures to implement the 2006 Law, including:
a) institute a mechanism to compile disaggregated data on incidents of domestic violence, including sex, age and family relationship of victims and perpetrators, as well as investigations and prosecutions carried out. This information should be made public;
b) promptly investigate complaints related to domestic violence and other acts of violence against women, as bride kidnapping and rape; and institute criminal proceedings against perpetrators; and
c) take all the necessary measures to protect victims of domestic violence, including by establishing a sufficient number of appropriate shelters across the country.”
Published from: “CONSIDERATION OF REPORTS SUBMITTED BY STATES PARTIES UNDER ARTICLE 40 OF THE COVENANT: Concluding observations of the Human Rights Committee, [Unedited version] Georgia”, Office of the United Nations Human Rights Committee, 19 October 2007